5 things I love about winter running

I really love it when your body heats up, your cheeks go red and you feel really warm while it is freezing outside. It always amuses me when people ask ‘how can you run in the cold?’ I always say I much rather run than walk because running makes your body temperature rise by about 10 degrees! That means that for Siobhan, running in 18C felt like it was 28C – that is HOT!

This time of year, we spend most of our time indoors, windows closed and with central heating on. The air quality can be poor and it makes you feel tired and lethargic. Fresh air is extra important this time of year and oh boy, does it wake you up. You feel refreshed and full of energy after a quick run and you’ll also sleep much better. It’s almost the same as swimming in the sea in the winter time (but not half as crazy!)

Many people stay indoors because they don’t want to get sick but actually, the more you spend time outdoors, the stronger your immune system gets and the less likely you are to get sick. Stale indoor air makes us sick. When you can’t get out for a run, open your windows for an hour every day!

There’s a saying ‘summer bodies are made in the winter‘ and while I don’t really like the term ‘summer bodies’ , there is truth in this. If you want to be fit for summer, you need to work out in the winter. There’s no denying that it is nice to be fit in the summer. You feel good, you have lots of energy, the longer days make running in the morning or late evening pleasant and there’s lots of fun running events.

So go on, get dust off your runners and get up. If you leave now you’ll be back in 45 minutes :). Oh, number six, you can buy some nice winter running gear, an ice cozy base layer, great jacket or nice warm tights… shopping is always a good reason, right?

Book you winter classes here or start today with our online plan